VEMBANAD LAKE AND ASHTAMUDI LAKE

31st March, 2023 Environment

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Context

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in March 2023, imposed a penalty of Rs 10 crore on the Kerala government for failing to protect the Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes, which are included in the Ramsar list of wetlands.

About Vembanad Lake

Kottayam has a vast network of rivers and canals, which empty into the great expanse of water called the Vembanad Lake, a fast developing backwater tourism
Traditional Cargo boats called Kettuvallams are modified into Cruise boats and House boats.
In the Vembanad Lake there is a small beautiful island called Pathiramanal or the Midnight sands.
The serene lakes come alive during Onam with a spectacular water regatta – the snake boat races.

About Ashtamudi Lake

It is located in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala.
It is the most visited backwater lake in the state.
It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state.
Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in the local Malayalam language.
The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches.
The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts.
Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.
In 2014, the Clam Governing Council of Ashtamudi lake became the first Marine Stewardship Council certified fishery in India for their sustainable clam fishing.

National Green Tribunal

About the tribunal

It is a Statutory Body under National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act 2010.
It ensures environmental justice.
It is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure; it is guided by principles of natural justice.
Disposal of applications within 6 months.

Members

Currently, 10 expert members and 10 judicial members (the Act allows for up to 20 of each).
Only a Judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of a High Court Can be appointed as Chairman.
Members are chosen by a Selection Committee (headed by a sitting judge of SC).
- Judicial members are chosen from applicants who are serving or retired judges of High Courts.
- Expert members are chosen from applicants who are either serving or retired bureaucrats, not below the rank of an Additional Secretary.
Expert members must have a doctorate in a related field.
Chairman and members term of 5 yrs and are not eligible for re-appointment.

Powers

NGT pass orders or provides compensation under:
- The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
- Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, Forest (Conservation) Act.
- Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act.
- Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
- Public Liability Insurance Act 1991.
- Biological Diversity Act 2002.

Places of Sittings

The act proposed to set up 5 places of sittings:
- New Delhi
- Bhopal
- Pune
- Kolkata
- Chennai

About Ramsar Sites

What are wetlands?

Wetlands, according to the Environment Ministry, are an “area of marsh, fen, peatland or water; whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres, but does not include river channels, paddy fields, human-made water bodies/ tanks specifically constructed for drinking water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt production, recreation and irrigation purposes.”

What is a Ramsar site?

Any wetland site which has been listed under the Ramsar Convention that aims to conserve it and promote sustainable use of its natural resourcesis called a Ramsar Site.
Ramsar Convention is known as the Convention of Wetlands. It was established in 1971 by UNESCO and came into force in 1975.
India is a party to the Ramsar Convention. India signed under it on 1st February 1982.

Conditions to be a Ramsar site

To be Ramsar site, it must meet at least one of nine criteria as defined by the Ramsar Convention of 1961, such as supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities or, if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds or, is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks are dependent upon.

Ramsar sites in India

Sundarbans is the largest Ramsar Site of India
Chilika Lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) were recognized as the first Ramsar Sites of India
Uttar Pradesh has the most number of Ramsar Sites in India.
Renuka Wetland in Himachal Pradesh is the smallest wetland of India.

Ramsar Wetlands Sites (As on November, 2022)

S. No.	State Location	Name of Site	Date of Declaration	Area
1	Andhra Pradesh	Kolleru Lake	19.8.2002	901.00
2	Assam	Deepor Beel	19.8.2002	40.00
3	Bihar	Kabartal Wetland	21.07.2020	26.20
4	Goa	Nanda Lake	06.08.2022	0.42
5	Gujarat	Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary	13.04.2021	5.12
6	Gujarat	Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary	24.09.2012	120.00
7	Gujarat	Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary	05.04.2021	6.99
8	Gujarat	Wadhvana Wetland	05.04.2021	6.30
9	Haryana	Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary	25.05.2021	4.12
10	Haryana	Sultanpur National Park	25.05.2021	1.43
11	Himachal Pradesh	Chandertal Wetland	8.11.2005	0.49
12	Himachal Pradesh	Pong Dam Lake	19.8.2002	156.62
13	Himachal Pradesh	Renuka Wetland	8.11.2005	0.20
14	Jammu and Kashmir	Hokera Wetland	8.11.2005	13.75
15	Jammu and Kashmir	Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve	13.08.2022	8.02
16	Jammu and Kashmir	Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve	13.08.2022	16.75
17	Jammu and Kashmir	Surinsar-Mansar Lakes	8.11.2005	3.50
18	Jammu and Kashmir	Wular Lake	23.3.1990	189.00
19	Karnataka	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary	15.02.2022	5.18
20	Kerala	Asthamudi Wetland	19.8.2002	61.40
21	Kerala	Sasthamkotta Lake	19.8.2002	3.73
22	Kerala	Vembanad Kol Wetland	19.8.2002	1512.50
23	Ladakh	Tso Kar Wetland Complex	17.11.2020	95.77
24	Ladakh	Tsomoriri Lake	19.8.2002	120.00
25	Madhya Pradesh	Bhoj Wetlands	19.8.2002	32.01
26	Madhya Pradesh	Sakhya Sagar	01.07.2022	2.48
27	Madhya Pradesh	Sirpur Wetland	01.07.2022	1.61
28	Madhya Pradesh	Yashwant Sagar	13.08.2022	8.23
29	Maharashtra	Lonar Lake	22.7.2020	4.27
30	Maharashtra	Nandur Madhameshwar	21.6.2019	14.37
31	Maharashtra	Thane Creek	13.08.2022	65.21
32	Manipur	Loktak Lake	23.3.1990	266.00
33	Mizoram	Pala Wetland	31.08.2021	18.50
34	Odisha	Ansupa Lake	13.08.2022	2.31
35	Odisha	Bhitarkanika Mangroves	19.8.2002	650.00
36	Odisha	Chilka Lake	1.10.1981	1165.00
37	Odisha	Hirakud Reservoir	13.08.2022	654.00
38	Odisha	Satkosia Gorge	10.12.2021	981.97
39	Odisha	Tampara Lake	13.08.2022	3.00
40	Punjab	Beas Conservation Reserve	26.9.2019	64.29
41	Punjab	Harike Lake	23.3.1990	41.00
42	Punjab	Kanjli Lake	22.1.2002	1.83
43	Punjab	Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve	26.9.2019	3.44
44	Punjab	Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary	26.9.2019	1.16
45	Punjab	Ropar Lake	22.1.2002	13.65
46	Rajasthan	Keoladeo Ghana NP	1.10.1981	28.73
47	Rajasthan	Sambhar Lake	23.3.1990	240.00
48	Tamil Nadu	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary	13.08.2022	2.60
49	Tamil Nadu	Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve	04.08.2022	526.72
50	Tamil Nadu	Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary	13.08.2022	0.97
51	Tamil Nadu	Karikili Bird Sanctuary	04.08.2022	0.58
52	Tamil Nadu	Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary	11.08.2021	0.72
53	Tamil Nadu	Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest	04.08.2022	12.48
54	Tamil Nadu	Pichavaram Mangrove	04.08.2022	14.79
55	Tamil Nadu	Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary	19.8.2002	385.00
56	Tamil Nadu	Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex	13.08.2022	0.94
57	Tamil Nadu	Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary	04.08.2022	0.44
58	Tamil Nadu	Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary	13.08.2022	1.13
59	Tamil Nadu	Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary	04.08.2022	0.40
60	Tamil Nadu	Vellode Bird Sanctuary	04.08.2022	0.77
61	Tamil Nadu	Vembannur Wetland Complex	04.08.2022	0.20
62	Tripura	Rudrasagar Lake	8.11.2005	2.40
63	Uttar Pradesh	Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary	29.06.2021	28.94
64	Uttar Pradesh	Haiderpur Wetland	8.12.2021	69.08
65	Uttar Pradesh	Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary	19.9.2019	2.25
66	Uttar Pradesh	Parvati Agra Bird Sanctuary	2.12.2019	7.22
67	Uttar Pradesh	Saman Bird Sanctuary	2.12.2019	5.26
68	Uttar Pradesh	Samaspur Bird Sanctuary	3.10.2019	7.99
69	Uttar Pradesh	Sandi Bird Sanctuary	26.9.2019	3.09
70	Uttar Pradesh	Sarsai Nawar Jheel	19.9.2019	1.61
71	Uttar Pradesh	Sur Sarovar	21.8.2020	4.31
72	Uttar Pradesh	Upper Ganga River	8.11.2005	265.90
73	Uttarakhand	Asan Conservation Reserve	21.7.2020	4.44
74	West Bengal	East Kolkata Wetlands	19.8.2002	125.00
75	West Bengal	Sunderbans Wetland	30.1.2019	4230.00